Communication model for cultural inheritance of Bann Mai Thai Phuan hand woven fabric in Nakhon Nayok province

Abstract

This study aimed to study problems of Ban Mai’s Thai Phuan hand woven fabric cultural heritage conservation as well as study the communication strategies towards Nakhon Nayok’s teenagers in order to encourage awareness to inherit Thai Phuan hand woven fabric cultural heritage. The research design combined qualitative and quantitative methods using mixed-methods approach. The research targets comprised the Thai Phuan culture’s guru, members of Ban Mai Thai Phuan hand woven fabric womens’s cooperative group, teachers and school’s administrators, community leaders as well as the teenagers joining activities of the cooperative group. In-depth interviews and focus groups were used to collect data for qualitative research. For quantitative research, the survey was conducted to collect data using questionnaire. The findings revealed that the obstacles from external factors that affect communication for cultural inheritance were economic recession, limited public policies and contribution, change of social values, lifestyles, and ways of living emphasizing materialism, including change of consumers’ behaviors. Meanwhile, the limitedness of Thai Phuan predecessors involved health problem, lack of budgets, problem in raw materials sourcing and complicated production process together with marketing problems. The problems of inheritors are that they are not attentive to local cultures. Communication strategies for cultural inheritance of Bann Mai Thai Phuan are that specific online application together with face-to-face communication by Thai Phuan culture’s gurus should be applied. Educational institutions and family also need to promote Thai Phuan culture inheritance.